Snapper season may be one to remember

Jeremy AlfordCapitol Correspondent

Published: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 7:40 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 at 7:40 p.m.

BATON ROUGE — The 2013 red snapper season could be roughly half as long as last year, which would not only be record-setting but also advantageous for the state’s argument that it should regulate the regional fishery, not the federal government.

The 2012 red snapper season spanned 40 days, but officials with the National Marine Fisheries Service are projecting this year’s quota could be reached in 27 days or less, the result of average catch sizes growing larger.

While the season dates are not final, anglers are still fully aware it could become the shortest season on record.

Texas already administers its own seasons and limits, and Louisiana and Florida have been taking steps to do the same, with the Bayou State acting much more aggressively.

Fisheries officials in Alabama have already warned its Gulf of Mexico fishermen and charter captains that their season could fall well below 27 days should Louisiana or Florida proceed with their own plans, since it would decrease the catch limit calculated by the federal government.

All of the involved parties are attending public meetings this week along the Gulf Coast to discuss dumping the federal quota system in exchange for regional management.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is expected to draft policy based on findings from the regional meetings.

Randy Pausina, assistant secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said prior to the Louisiana meeting this week that a 27-day season is “unacceptable and essentially negates having a season at all.”

He said it would be better for red snapper to be managed on a state-by-state or regional basis, with state agencies in control and working under a federal umbrella.

“I have every confidence that our biologists do a superb job at managing Louisiana’s fish populations,” he said. “The data speaks for itself. The areas where populations are in the most trouble are in those that remain federally managed.”

Pausina added there is no “one size fits all” approach that works for the Gulf.

Department officials said Louisiana will go “non-compliant” if the Gulf Council is unwilling to move toward regional management on the state’s terms.

“There’s no confidence in the federal regulations, so it’s time to draw a line in the sand,” Pausina said.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted last May to create the Bayou State’s own recreational red snapper season in 2013.

As proposed, the weekend-only Louisiana season would begin the Saturday preceding Palm Sunday each year and end Sept. 30, with a recreational bag limit of three fish per day at a 16-inch minimum.

As for what the red snapper population looks like, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began working on a new assessment in August.

The assessment involves three workshops to gather data, assess the fish population and review the results. The data workshop was held last fall, while the population gathering is scheduled for later this month and the final review for the spring.

The workshops include input from fishermen as well as state, federal and academic scientists.

After the review meeting, scientists will present the results to fishery managers on the Gulf Council, probably in early spring.

“The upcoming assessment will help us continue to gain a better understanding of the red snapper population in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Richard Merrick, chief science advisor for NOAA’s Fisheries Service.

If the population assessment is larger than expected, it is possible that the forecasted 27-day federal season could be expanded.

Fishermen have targeted red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico since the late 1800s, and fishing pressure in the mid-1900s depleted the red snapper population.

In response, federal fishery managers took action in 2007, making adjustments to size and bag limits, and implementing a catch-share program for the commercial sector.

Recent population assessments, however, have shown the overfishing of snapper in the Gulf has ended and the stock is rebounding.

That is why the National Marine Fisheries Service increased the fishing catch for last year’s season from 7.53 million pounds to 8.08 million pounds.

The 2013 catch limit is expected to be 8.69 million pounds.

As the population of red snapper grows and the fish get bigger, recreational fishermen catch their quota faster, resulting in the kind of shorter seasons that have been discussed in the Gulf Council’s public meetings as of late.

<p>BATON ROUGE — The 2013 red snapper season could be roughly half as long as last year, which would not only be record-setting but also advantageous for the state's argument that it should regulate the regional fishery, not the federal government. </p><p>The 2012 red snapper season spanned 40 days, but officials with the National Marine Fisheries Service are projecting this year's quota could be reached in 27 days or less, the result of average catch sizes growing larger. </p><p>While the season dates are not final, anglers are still fully aware it could become the shortest season on record. </p><p>Texas already administers its own seasons and limits, and Louisiana and Florida have been taking steps to do the same, with the Bayou State acting much more aggressively. </p><p>Fisheries officials in Alabama have already warned its Gulf of Mexico fishermen and charter captains that their season could fall well below 27 days should Louisiana or Florida proceed with their own plans, since it would decrease the catch limit calculated by the federal government. </p><p>All of the involved parties are attending public meetings this week along the Gulf Coast to discuss dumping the federal quota system in exchange for regional management.</p><p>The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is expected to draft policy based on findings from the regional meetings.</p><p>Randy Pausina, assistant secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said prior to the Louisiana meeting this week that a 27-day season is “unacceptable and essentially negates having a season at all.” </p><p>He said it would be better for red snapper to be managed on a state-by-state or regional basis, with state agencies in control and working under a federal umbrella. </p><p>“I have every confidence that our biologists do a superb job at managing Louisiana's fish populations,” he said. “The data speaks for itself. The areas where populations are in the most trouble are in those that remain federally managed.”</p><p>Pausina added there is no “one size fits all” approach that works for the Gulf. </p><p>Department officials said Louisiana will go “non-compliant” if the Gulf Council is unwilling to move toward regional management on the state's terms. </p><p>“There's no confidence in the federal regulations, so it's time to draw a line in the sand,” Pausina said. </p><p>The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted last May to create the Bayou State's own recreational red snapper season in 2013. </p><p>As proposed, the weekend-only Louisiana season would begin the Saturday preceding Palm Sunday each year and end Sept. 30, with a recreational bag limit of three fish per day at a 16-inch minimum. </p><p>As for what the red snapper population looks like, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began working on a new assessment in August. </p><p>The assessment involves three workshops to gather data, assess the fish population and review the results. The data workshop was held last fall, while the population gathering is scheduled for later this month and the final review for the spring. </p><p>The workshops include input from fishermen as well as state, federal and academic scientists. </p><p>After the review meeting, scientists will present the results to fishery managers on the Gulf Council, probably in early spring.</p><p>“The upcoming assessment will help us continue to gain a better understanding of the red snapper population in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Richard Merrick, chief science advisor for NOAA's Fisheries Service.</p><p>If the population assessment is larger than expected, it is possible that the forecasted 27-day federal season could be expanded.</p><p>Fishermen have targeted red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico since the late 1800s, and fishing pressure in the mid-1900s depleted the red snapper population. </p><p>In response, federal fishery managers took action in 2007, making adjustments to size and bag limits, and implementing a catch-share program for the commercial sector.</p><p>Recent population assessments, however, have shown the overfishing of snapper in the Gulf has ended and the stock is rebounding. </p><p>That is why the National Marine Fisheries Service increased the fishing catch for last year's season from 7.53 million pounds to 8.08 million pounds.</p><p>The 2013 catch limit is expected to be 8.69 million pounds. </p><p>As the population of red snapper grows and the fish get bigger, recreational fishermen catch their quota faster, resulting in the kind of shorter seasons that have been discussed in the Gulf Council's public meetings as of late.</p><p>Jeremy Alford can be reached at jeremy@jeremyalford.com.</p>